Bell Ringer Open your student workbook to page 61. Under the heading Journal Entry, write a few sentences describing what things you would do to reduce your risk of pregnancy, HIV and other STD. What choices will you keep making? What choices will you make in the future? Will you change any behaviors?

Unit 4: HIV, STD & Pregnancy Prevention Lesson 13: My Commitment to Protect Myself

Healthy Behavior Outcomes Engage in behaviors that prevent or reduce sexually transmitted diseases (STD), including HIV infection. Engage in behaviors that prevent or reduce unintended pregnancy.

Lesson Objectives By the end of this lesson, you should be able to: Justify why sexual abstinence is the safest, most effective risk-avoidance method of protection from HIV, other STD, and pregnancy. Summarize ways to reduce the risk of pregnancy and the sexual transmission of HIV and other common STDs if sexually active. Make a commitment to help protect themselves from pregnancy, HIV and other STD.

What have you learned about how to prevent pregnancy, STD and HIV?

Summary The only 100% sure way to prevent pregnancy, STD and HIV is to be sexually abstinent. This means not participating in any sexual behaviors that could cause pregnancy or transmit an STD. If a person chooses to be sexually active, he or she needs to be sexually responsible and take steps to reduce the risk of pregnancy, HIV and other STD.

If a person makes a commitment to be sexually abstinent, what are some steps he or she can take to help keep the commitment?

Summary Tell a partner about the commitment and get his or her agreement and support. Hang out with friends who are also abstinent. Plan ahead so they will not be in a situation that threatens their commitment. Learn effective ways to say NO to sexual pressure.

If a person chooses to be sexually active, what are some steps that person needs to take to reduce his or her risk for pregnancy, HIV and other STD?

Summary Discuss birth control with a partner. Decide on a birth control method, get it, and use it correctly and consistently. Discuss STD with a partner. Get tested for STD/HIV and know their status. Use a condom every time they have sex. Go to a doctor for regular checkups.

What about being monogamous to reduce risks if you are sexually active? Does that always protect a person? Why or why not?

Summary Being monogamous is risk-free for STD only if two people who do not have any STD agree to have sex only with each other and stick to that commitment for the rest of their lives. Being monogamous will not protect a heterosexual couple from pregnancy. They must agree to use birth control, and use it correctly and consistently if they want to avoid unintended pregnancy.

Summary (cont.) If people are serially monogamous, they can be at risk every time they start a relationship with a new partner. This is one reason it is important to get tested for HIV and other STD, and to wait to have sex with a new partner until both have been tested, know their status and agree to be monogamous or to use latex condoms every time they have sex.

Today you had the chance to make a commitment to help prevent pregnancy, HIV and STD. If you want to, share one step you are going to take to help yourself keep your commitment.